Cracked nipples....!!!

Is anyone else or has anyone been suffering with cracked nipples?! My LB is 5 weeks old tomorrow and I’m still suffering really bad to the point that I’m dreading every feed and am in tears.
I started using nipple shields for the first week which I think made the initial cracks and since I’ve had so much help, I paid for a lactation consultant and yesterday went to a support group I was referred to. They said to try the laid back position but this is still hurting and seems to be cracking the nipple in another place now.
I’m feeling so stressed and down it’s not good for my baby but I’m really not ready to give up yet 😔
Just wondered if anyone has been in a similar position and if they have managed to find a way to heal the nipples?!

Comments (32)

Try some Mam patches, i ordered them off amazon. they really helped soothed my cracked nipples.. i kept applying lansiloh cream every feed too and if she wasnt latched on properly i made sure i took her off and tried again.. it was agony and i was ready to give up but after a couple days they seemed to heal and its no longer sore or cracked!

My nipples were cracked and bleeding in the first week (16 days old now). I ordered nipple shields I have found them useful - they allowed my nipples to heal and was much less painful feeding. They’ve started to hurt again a bit. I’m John st back from a bf clinic actually as had an awful night. They’ve encouraged me to get rid of the shields now (been nervous too). They looked at the latching and all looks good so just need to practice. I don’t want to give up either as know it’s best for her and us, but it’s the things I’m finding hardest. Nights are the worst as she feeds more, I’m tired and it’s when it’s more painful.

Also using lansinoh nipple cream. Supposed to be the best. Have you tried expressing. It is nice to have the odd break (I’ve just done a bottle a day and usually my hubby ends up doing it in the night when I’m at my wits end).

Try some Mam patches, i ordered them off amazon. they really helped soothed m...

Posted
13/07/2018

Try some Mam patches, i ordered them off amazon. they really helped soothed my cracked nipples.. i kept applying lansiloh cream every feed too and if she wasnt latched on properly i made sure i took her off and tried again.. it was agony and i was ready to give up but after a couple days they seemed to heal and its no longer sore or cracked!

My nipples were cracked and bleeding in the first week (16 days old now). I o...

Posted
13/07/2018

My nipples were cracked and bleeding in the first week (16 days old now). I ordered nipple shields I have found them useful - they allowed my nipples to heal and was much less painful feeding. They’ve started to hurt again a bit. I’m John st back from a bf clinic actually as had an awful night. They’ve encouraged me to get rid of the shields now (been nervous too). They looked at the latching and all looks good so just need to practice. I don’t want to give up either as know it’s best for her and us, but it’s the things I’m finding hardest. Nights are the worst as she feeds more, I’m tired and it’s when it’s more painful.

Also using lansinoh nipple cream. Supposed to be the best. Have you tried expressing. It is nice to have the odd break (I’ve just done a bottle a day and usually my hubby ends up doing it in the night when I’m at my wits end).

Not much advice but you’re not on your own...this is flipping hard!

It is so awfully painful isn’t it 😔 just really don’t want to give up!
I used the shields initially and that was when these bad cracks appeared so I’m a bit scared to use shields again.
I totally agree with nights being worse, I dread him waking for a feed as it’s absolute agony and I’m just in tears!

Thank you for sharing your tips, I think I will give expressing a go for a little break now and again! Hope your pain gets better soon..!! Xx

I bought silver cups from Amazon and they've totally healed my nipples. I was suffering in the first two weeks and they're now fine and my lb is 4 weeks old today. You wear them over the nipples in between feeds and the silver promotes healing. Im still using them! Honestly I was willing to try anything and didn't really fancy going down the route of nipple shields as had used them with my daughter and although they helped, I felt like she never got enough milk whilst I was using them.

I would let your nipples have as much air as possible to dry out and to start healing, sometimes rubbing in milk or Lansino to speed up recovery but fresh air works wonders. Really check the latch, if your nipple is ‘deformed’ shape after a feed then the latch is not good. Even if you have to re position lots of times during the feed, and make sure baby has ‘duck lips’ and is sucking with their chin, if that makes sense. I would try to rugby ball position if you haven’t already and alternate with cradle hold to allow your nipples to heal xx

I had bleeding nipples in first week and every time I fed was agony, I tried Nipple shields but they don’t drain the milk as well so I ended up getting mastitis 😬 advised by gp to take antibiotics and keep feeding in order to clear it up. Went to breast feeding clinic and they helped with latch, if the latch is correct your nipples shouldn’t hurt at all. I spent sometimes 20 minutes at each feed getting the latch right but so worth it for my nipples! I dabbed a tiny amount of lanisoh on after each feed and let air get to them as much as possible. I also expressed quite a few feeds when they were particularly sore to try and help the healing which I think saved me. Now 4 weeks in and nipples have healed and feeding well 👌 hope it works out for you once your healed it’s so worth it x

I had the same at two weeks and cried at every feed, it was so painful. The best tip I was given was to rub some breast milk on the nipples after a feed. It's a great natural healer and really helped. That and Lanisoh cream.

Hope you heal soon, it's tough but does pass once you get the latch sorted.

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